Small Items That Could Make A Big Impact

by Stafford North

Occasionally we run across an idea that might seem like a small thing but which could result in bringing someone to Christ.  Here are a few of those.

Some church members live in communities where there is a “home owners newsletter.”  One lady in such a situation put in the newsletter an invitation to her home for women to study the Bible together—and three people called her in response and she is doing the study.

Two members of the church run a trailer park.  A fire in a trailer brought a loss of everything to the family living in the trailer.  These two members of the church had a trailer not being used which they gave to the family and, since it was around Christmas time, they also brought presents to the children.  A local newspaper picked up on the story and reported it with the note that they attended a church of Christ.  When the reporter asked about their generosity, they said, “That just what people at our church do.”  This is a great demonstration of how we can let our Christian living be an outreach to those around us. 

Most newspapers are looking for human interest stories to go along with lots of other information they print.  If churches have a good story to report about service projects they are doing in the community, about mission trips their youth group takes, about quilting their ladies are doing to help others, or about other such things the church does, they will often be glad to have the story.  Such information about the church creates good will that lays the foundation for a positive response to an invitation to attend the church or some special event the church is conducting.

I talked yesterday to a man who told me that he and his wife had just taken in two foster children.  They will nurture these children and bring them to church and have a very good positive Christian impact on them.  The Lord tells us to scatter the seed and there are so many ways of doing that.  As the parable of the sower teaches, we never know just what the outcome of our planting will be.  We cannot always recognize what will be the good or the rocky or the hard soil.  We should sow lots of seed because some of it will fall on the good soil.

So, look for ways you can plant the seed—say a good word about the church wherever you can, help someone at work or in your neighborhood with a problem, find a child who needs you and serve them, invite a family to your home for a time of fellowship.  Be alert for what you can do to share your Christian life with others.